Connect to another computer using Remote Desktop Connection

With Remote Desktop Connection, you can connect to a computer running Windows from another computer running Windows that's connected to the same network or to the Internet. For example, you can use all of your work computer's programs, files, and network resources from your home computer, and it's just like you're sitting in front of your computer at work.

To connect to a remote computer, that computer must be turned on, it must have a network connection, Remote Desktop must be enabled, you must have network access to the remote computer (this could be through the Internet), and you must have permission to connect. For permission to connect, you must be on the list of users. Before you start a connection, it's a good idea to look up the name of the computer you're connecting to and to make sure Remote Desktop connections are allowed through its firewall.

If you're user account doesn't require a password to sign in, you'll need to add a password before you're allowed to start a connection with a remote computer.

Watch this video to learn how to connect to another computer using Remote Desktop Connection (1:13)

Open System by clicking the Start button , right-clicking Computer, and then clicking Properties.

Click Remote settings. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

The Remote tab in the System Properties dialog box

Under Remote Desktop, select one of the three options.

Click Select Users.

If you're an administrator on the computer, your current user account will automatically be added to the list of remote users and you can skip the next two steps.

In the Remote Desktop Users dialog box, click Add.

In the Select Users or Groups dialog box, do the following:

To specify the search location, click Locations, and then select the location you want to search.

In Enter the object names to select, type the name of the user that you want to add, and then click OK.

The name will be displayed in the list of users in the Remote Desktop Users dialog box. Click OK, and then click OK again.

Note

You can’t connect to a computer that's asleep or hibernating, so make sure the settings for sleep and hibernation on the remote computer are set to Never. (Hibernation is not available on all computers.) For information about making those changes, see Change, create, or delete a power plan (scheme).

If you're having trouble connecting, Remote Desktop connections might be getting blocked by the firewall. Here's how to change that setting on a Windows PC. If you're using another firewall, make sure the port for Remote Desktop (usually 3389) is open.

On the remote computer, click Start and select Control Panel.

Click System and Security.

Click
Allow a program through Windows Firewall
under Windows Firewall.

Open Remote Desktop Connection by clicking the Start button . In the search box, type Remote Desktop Connection, and then, in the list of results, click Remote Desktop Connection.

In the Computer box, type the name of the computer that you want to connect to, and then click Connect. (You can also type the IP address instead of the computer name.)

Notes

To find the Remote Desktop Connection shortcut, click the Start button , click All Programs, and then click Accessories. To quickly open Remote Desktop Connection, click the Start button , type mstsc in the search box, and then press Enter.

Redirecting a device on your computer makes it available for use in a Remote Desktop session. If a Remote Desktop Connection dialog box appears after you click Connect and enter your credentials, you can redirect local devices and resources, such as your local drives or Clipboard. Click Details, and then select the check box for each item you want to redirect.

With Remote Desktop Connection, you can access a computer running Windows from another computer running Windows that is connected to the same network or to the Internet. For example, you can use all of your work computer's programs, files, and network resources from your home computer, and it's just like you're sitting in front of your computer at work.

To connect to a remote computer, that computer must be turned on, it must have a network connection, Remote Desktop must be enabled, you must have network access to the remote computer (this could be through the Internet), and you must have permission to connect. For permission to connect, you must be on the list of users. Before you start a connection, it's a good idea to look up the name of the computer you're connecting to and to make sure Remote Desktop connections are allowed through its firewall.

If you're user account doesn't require a password to sign in, you'll need to add a password before you're allowed to start a connection with a remote computer.

Tip

To find the Remote Desktop Connection shortcut, click the Start button , click All Programs or Programs, and then click Accessories. To quickly open Remote Desktop Connection, open the Start menu, and then type mstsc in the Search box.

Notes

You can't use Remote Desktop Connection to connect to computers running Windows Vista Starter, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Basic N, or Windows Vista Home Premium. You can, however, connect from those editions of Windows Vista to computers running other versions of Windows.

You can't use Remote Desktop Connection to connect to computers running Windows XP Home Edition.

Open System by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking System.

Click Remote settings, and then select the one of the three options under "Remote Desktop." If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click Select Users. If you're an administrator on the computer, your current user account will automatically be added to the list of remote users and you can skip the next two steps.

In the Remote Desktop Users dialog box, click Add.

In the Select Users or Groups dialog box, do the following:

To select the search location, click Locations, and then select the location you want to search.

In Enter the object names to select, type the name of the user that you want to add, and then click OK.

The name will be displayed in the list of users in the Remote Desktop Users dialog box.

If you're having trouble connecting, Remote Desktop connections might be getting blocked by the firewall. Here's how to change that setting on a Windows Vista PC. If you're using another firewall, make sure the port for Remote Desktop (usually 3389) is open.